In more than 15 years at GE Global Research, Radislav has designed sensors for environmental applications, built microanalytical instrumentation infrastructure for the high-throughput characterization of combinatorially-discovered materials and developed different types of sensors for industrial applications.

Yet it’s his children who come first. “I am proud to have a positive impact on society—starting a family and raising new generations of Earth citizens who are working and contributing in different parts of the world,” he says.

Opportunities Ahead

Radislav sees the next half-century as one when chemical, biological and physical sensors surpass the performance of today’s laboratory instruments, actively addressing global megatrends such as zero-emission efforts, megacity management and more.

“Sensors will be nonobtrusive, battery-independent, safe and routinely integrated into humans, food products and stationary items,” he explains. “New detection principles will provide accurate sensor readings in the presence of highly variable background with unknown interferences.”

Customer Focus

Understanding customer requirements and the dynamics of working with different teams are at the heart of Radislav’s efforts. He credits his team members by name when speaking about his most prized accomplishments—developing sensors for the monitoring of groundwater contaminants on a short timeline and building a multivariable resonance sensors platform using radio frequency and photonics.

The Blodgett Award winner points to the work, rather than his role in it, saying, “The award reflects the tremendous value of sensors when GE customers need real-time information about process conditions in biomanufacturing operations, industrial or potable water quality and contaminants or industrial fluids.”